


Plan B Stands For Bellamy Blake

by FrisianWanderer



Series: Best Laid Plans [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-06-01 02:10:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6496705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrisianWanderer/pseuds/FrisianWanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Throughout their final year of college, and even after they graduated, Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake were each other's beard, their saviour in case of unwelcome advances or a bad dating emergency. And it had worked perfectly.</p><p>Until now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plan B Stands For Bellamy Blake

Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake had met in their junior year of college. She was a Graphic Design’s major and he an Architectural Studies one, so it took them two and a half year to get acquainted, because Polaris University’s campus was just that large. But their paths did cross eventually, and they have their friends Monty Green and Nathan Miller to thank for that.

Monty had befriended Clarke through their job at a music store and Bellamy and Miller were in the same fraternity. Monty and Miller had just began dating after a meet cute in the said music store and were studying together in the library when first Bellamy and later Clarke joined them.

After meeting Bellamy that day an easy friendship was quick to follow and in the years that followed, it had grown into something much stronger and more important.

Clarke had a girlfriend at the time she met Bellamy and Bellamy had something going on with a girl named Roma Fields, so it was in their senior year they made the agreement, (not so) cleverly named Plan B(eard).

Lexa and Clarke had broken up at the start of senior year, effectively shattering Clarke’s heart and her wishes to be in a committed relationship and things between Bellamy and Roma had fizzled out during summer. 

The whole thing had started when Monty and Raven had dragged Clarke to Bellamy’s frat’s party and a douchebag wouldn’t take Clarke’s no for an answer. She was getting pissed and ready to punch the asshole in his face when Bellamy proved to be her saviour when he came up to her and put his arm around Clarke.

‘Hey, babe’ he had said, ‘ready for that dance now?’

Clarke had smiled gratefully at him. ‘Yes. I’ve been waiting for you’ Clarke didn’t give the douchebag a second glance and moved to the dancefloor with Bellamy.

‘Thanks for that’ she said in his ear when they had put their arms around the other and were swaying on the music together.

She felt Bellamy chuckle against her. ‘Seemed like you could use the help. Even though I know you can handle your own’

‘True. You probably did him the bigger favour though, since I was about to break his nose’

Bellamy laughed and the familiar sound made Clarke smile. She loved his laugh. It always seemed to light up his walnut brown eyes, his lips turned into a genuine grin – instead of his infamous panty dropping smirk (not that it had ever worked on her, she knew him too well to know he wasn’t the playboy he wanted girls to believe he was), his whole body shook when it finally released the sound and the sound itself was like a symphony. To her ears at least.

Clarke loosened her grip on his neck and stepped back so she could look Bellamy in his eyes. ‘Wanna play beerpong?’

Bellamy grinned. ‘Absolutely. As reigning champs we have to play a couple of games to make sure people don’t forget who the masters are. Especially that smug bastard Miller’

Clarke laughed. ‘Then what are we waiting for?’ she took his hand and dragged him to table.

 

**-*-**

 

At the next party it was Bellamy who needed saving. A very drunk and underage girl was all over him. Bellamy wasn’t averse to a one night stand, but he was gentleman enough to not take advantage of a wasted girl. Unfortunately for him, the girl seemed relentless and Clarke could see that Bellamy was growing more uncomfortable by the second.   

So after Clarke was done laughing over his awkwardness, she returned the favour and made a show of pressing herself against his side and calling him ‘honey’.

He raised an eyebrow at her when the endearment had left her tongue and she bit her lip not to burst out in giggles – _giggles_ , the booze was definitely working at this point – because of the fact that she just addressed her friend, Bellamy Blake, the notorious player, as _honey_.

But it had the desired effect, the girl finally realised she was barking up the wrong tree and left.

‘That was effective’ Bellamy commented, his eyes never leaving hers.

‘You’re welcome’ she said with a cocky smile and Clarke dropped the arm that she’d put around his waist.

Bellamy rolled his eyes. ‘Yes, thank you very much Clarke. You’re a true hero’

Clarke’s eyes widened and she gasped when an idea started to form in her intoxicated brain. ‘We should make this a thing! You know, be each other’s beard or something when we need an out with someone. We need to come up with a signal we can use’

Something in Bellamy’s eyes flashed before it transformed into amusement. ‘A signal?’ he asked in a light tone.

‘Yes, something we do so the other knows to come when needed’ she pointed a finger in his chest as to emphasize her point. ‘Something casual’

‘Something casual? So no bunny hop?’

Clarke laughed louder then she would’ve if she’d been sober and shook her head. ‘No, idiot, something _ordinary_ ’

‘What about scratching our ear? Like this’ his hand went to his ear as he acted out his suggestion.

‘Perfect’ Clarke agreed with a smile and they toasted with their beers to seal the deal.

 

* * *

 

 

Three years later their agreement was still in effect and it was only off if one of them was dating someone.

Not that Clarke had been dating in the last three plus years after her last relationship, but Bellamy had. Clarke figured that her life could do without the relationship drama and heartbreak. Sure, the beginning and middle of relationships were fun, but the ending wasn’t worth it – and relationships always ended. Lexa had taught her that.

Finn had taught her that monogamy was a lie, so why look for something more than the occasional one night stand? But she’d gotten Raven as her friend when they found out they had a mutual boyfriend, so at least that heartbreak had led to something positive..  

So, Clarke decided to live a life filled with her awesome job, her awesome friends and her awesome cat Franky. Once in a while she hooked up with her neighbour and friend with benefits Niylah Simmons or flirted with a stranger at a bar. And if the stranger turned out to be a pain, she made eye contact with Bellamy and touched her ear. He’d come and be her excuse to leave. They greeted each other with a stupid endearment or a casual kiss on the cheek and effectively got rid of an unwanted admirer.

Just like Clarke needed Bellamy to save her _right this instant, dammit_.

She was trying to make eye contact with him but he was talking with Jasper and Raven, while the guy that had just bought her a drink talked about how misunderstood rats were. Bellamy was still oblivious to her internal screaming – telepathy was a cruel lie – so she tried to brush off the guy without Bellamy’s help again.

‘I guess I could see that rats can be cute’ she interrupted him and he finally shut up. ‘but I’m more into cats’

‘ _Cats_?!’ he yelled. ‘how can you like those vicious and ugly creatures?’

Clarke wanted to roll her eyes at him. God, he was ridiculous.

‘Well, maybe if you pray real hard you can turn into a dog person’ he said, disgust still in his voice.

Clarke had had enough. ‘Okay, well thanks for the drink. It was nice meeting-‘

‘No, I bought you a drink, you owe me-‘

‘Excuse me?’ Clarke yelled, angry by his misogynist way of thinking. ‘I don’t owe you anything, _jackass_ ’

‘Everything okay, babe?’ Bellamy suddenly ( _finally_ ) appeared next to her and he kissed her cheek.

‘I was just thanking this guy for the drink he got me and making my way over to you’ Clarke said in a sugary sweet voice. She could feel the rat guy sending daggers at her with his eyes, but he was easily ignored as Bellamy put his arm around her and pulled her close.

‘Good, we were starting to miss you’ Bellamy said as his eyes burned into hers. His voice was a little hoarse because of the beers he’d drunk and the dim lighting in the bar made his eyes look darker. Clarke suppressed a shiver. He broke their eye contact to look at the rat guy. ‘I’m stealing her back, buddy’ Bellamy said and he led her to the booth where their friends had been closely following the scene.

When they sat down, Bellamy retreated his arm and Clarke immediately felt the loss. Somehow she felt colder, even if it was bloody hot in the place, and she felt a strange form of disappointment.

Before she could analyse what was going on inside of her and why, Bellamy opened his mouth. ‘Had to save the Princess’

‘Took you long enough’ Clarke commented and she glared at him, before returning her gaze at Raven, Jasper, Miller, Monty and Octavia. ‘The guy was horrible. He kept talking about rats and said that if I prayed really hard, I could become a dog person instead of a cat person’

Jasper chocked on his drink and Bellamy, Monty and Miller laughed.

‘ _Rats_?’ Octavia asked with a huge grin.

‘Rats’ Clarke confirmed with a sigh before she finished her vodka tonic in one gulp. Lord knew she needed it.  

Raven looked pensive and wiggled her finger between Clarke and Bellamy. ‘Where does that even come from?’ she slurred.

‘Where does what come from?’ Bellamy asked when he swallowed his gulp of beer.

‘You calling Clarke Princess’ Raven answered. ‘What’s the story behind that?’

Clarke just shrugged. One day he had just started using the nickname. First it had been weird and every time she asked about it he would either laugh or ignore her. But now she was used to it. Honestly, it would be strange if he would start calling her by her name again.

Bellamy laughed. ‘Look at her. She’s the embodiment of a princess, it fits her perfectly’

Clarke rolled her eyes and jammed her elbow in his ribcage. ‘Ouch!’ he complained. _Serves him right._ ‘It’s a compliment, Princess..’

‘Aww, well, thank you’ Clarke said sarcastically and added in a saccharine voice, ‘ _Belly_ ’

Bellamy let out a annoyed huff while Jasper snickered. ‘Fits him perfectly’ she imitated Bellamy’s voice when she used the same words he’d just used. ‘Right guys?’ Clarke asked, laughing at Bellamy.

‘Perfectly’ Jasper agreed snickering.

 

*** * ***

 

When Clarke got back to her apartment that night, she lingered in her doorway and looked at the door that was across the hall from hers. She contemplated for a second if she should send the text or not. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

 _Are you still up?_ _(3:19am)_

 **Niylah:** _Yeah (3:20am)_

 _Want some company?_ _(3:20am)_

 **Niylah** : _I want an orgasm (3:20am)_

_Me too (3:21am)_

**Niylah:** _Doors still unlocked (3:21am)_

_Lucky me ^^ (3:21am)_

 

* * *

 

 

_They were walking down a beach. Talking, laughing, enjoying each other’s company and the setting sun. Hand in hand. All smiles, laughter, sweet touches. So normal, yet special. It was absolute perfection._

_This was always supposed to happen._

_They sat down on the sand after a while. Clarke’s back was pressed against Bellamy’s chest and his arms were wrapped around her like a cocoon. She pointed out the red seagull that flew in the distance._

_‘My favourite colour’ Bellamy commented in a whisper._

_‘I know’ she whispered back._

_Bellamy kissed her cheek and Clarke’s eyelids dropped on their own account as she enjoyed the feeling of his lips against her skin. Even if the peck only lasted for a couple of seconds, it took her breath away. A lifetime too short.._

_Clarke opened her eyes again and turned to him. They smiled at each other and Bellamy’s eyes sparkled like the galaxy that decorated his cheeks in freckle form. He felt like home, he was her home.._

_Suddenly an annoying and loud beeping noise broke the perfect bubble they were in. Clarke realised it was time to wake up, that this was only a dream. It saddened her._

_‘I don’t want to go yet’ she pouted._

_‘Then stay’ he suggested smiling._

_Clarke smiled and whispered the three magic words against his lips._

_‘I love you’_

 

And that’s what startled her awake. Heart beating a mile a minute, breathing so quickly that she was afraid she was going to start hyperventilating. A cold sweat had already started to break out. _What the fuck did she just dream? What the hell did she just say to him?_

 

* * *

 

 

The dream was almost constantly on her mind in the days that followed. Even when she was at work and trying her hardest with her usual team to come up with a new advertising poster or when she had a meeting with a new client.

And then, when she got back home, she tried to distract herself with some Netflix while cuddling with Franky. But the dream refused to leave her thoughts and wouldn’t be ignored.

Clarke let out a weary sigh. If it had been a sex dream, she could’ve written it off to being sexually attracted to Bellamy or that she just had been horny. But the dream had been the opposite of a sex dream. They had held hands, cuddled and given each other sweet pecks.

And then she told him she loved him.

Of course she loved him. They had known each other for 5 years and he’d been her best friend during the last three. But the meaning behind the words she said to him in her dream didn’t have a platonic feel to them.

But maybe, _maybe_ , Bellamy himself had nothing to do with the underlying issue. Maybe her brain had created a romantic setting and used Bellamy (the person she was closest to, that’s why he starred in the role as romantic interest) to let her know that even if she denied it and did everything in her power to avoid it, all she wanted was what Miller and Monty shared.

Maybe Clarke did want more than a life filled with work and booty calls. Maybe she wanted someone to get home to after a tiring day at work, to share a home cooked meal with, a shower, her problems, her joy. To cuddle on the couch with, while they drank some wine and watched a documentary, but ignoring the documentary, because they were too lost in the other’s lips. Someone that loved her unconditionally and had her back, while they fought and made up and while they went grocery shopping together, cleaned their home or got lost on a foreign road in Europe.

When Clarke pictured this, someone very similar to Bellamy was sitting next to her on the couch, in the car riding through Europe, made her come in the shower. But it couldn’t only be Bellamy she wanted like that, right? Right.

And hypothetically speaking, even if she did, Bellamy himself never gave an indication that he wanted more than friendship from her.

But it didn’t matter. The type of love Clarke secretly desired only existed in fiction. And even if it did exist outside of novels, that type of bliss, if you were lucky enough to conquer it, was always short-lived. She’d seen it in her own relationships, in her parents’ failed marriage, in the relationships her friends had had.

Monty and Miller’s relationship seemed to be the only exception.

A tiny, hopeful voice inside of her was stubborn enough to whisper ‘Maybe you’ll have an exception as well’

But it was easily overruled by her rational side, that said, ‘Only if my life was a romance novel, but this is real life. Also, Franky’s way too heavy to be healthy..’

 

* * *

 

 

The next time the gang went clubbing, neither Clarke nor Bellamy had to use their Plan B(eard). Clarke because she didn’t feel like talking to anyone else than her friends, let alone flirt with a stranger, and Bellamy because he spend the entire night chatting with the same girl.

Clarke didn’t want to know why her stomach felt like it was made of lead or why breathing seemed more difficult, when she saw Bellamy and the hot brunette talking, laughing, dancing and drinking together.

‘Stop staring’ Raven, who was sitting next to her in the booth, said in her ear.

Clarke’s gaze immediately dropped to the drink in her hands. ‘I’m not’ she tried, ‘I’m just checking in, in case he uses the signal’

‘He’s sucking the girl’s lips off’ Raven not-so-helpfully supplied. ‘He’s not going to use the signal’

Clarke knew there wasn’t a response to that, so she decided to keep quiet. Raven sighed. ‘Listen babe, if you want to be the one who he tries to suck the lips off, then you should tell him’

Clarke felt her cheeks heat up, but tried to shake it off. She let out a laugh, but it sounded staged and empty. Even to her own ears. ‘I don’t want to be in that girl’s shoes right now, thank you very much’ the statement was followed by an odd chuckle and Raven rolled her eyes at her.  

Clarke felt like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, even if she didn’t quite understand _why_ , so she checked her cell and told her friends that she had plans with Niylah and was going to go. It wasn’t a lie, but their planned hook-up was in two hours, not in a couple of minutes. But Clarke was afraid she was going to puke if she had to watch the show Bellamy was putting on a moment longer.

So she said goodbye to everyone except Bellamy and left.

 

* * *

 

 

A few weeks later, on a Saturday, Clarke was about to meet Bellamy for their weekly coffee, but she had a problem. One she’d never had before. She stood in front of her closest, suddenly very conflicted about what to wear to her weekly meet-up with Bellamy. Normally she’d just grab something cute and comfortable, but for an unknown reason, that Saturday she wanted to put in a little more effort.

 _But not too much effort_ , Clarke reminded herself, _I’m only getting a coffee with my best friend._ But something inside her wanted Bellamy to think she looked pretty that day, so she eventually decided on a white sundress and a red blazer.  

Clarke loved the colour red. It was strong, sexy, bold and warm. Never mind that it also was Bellamy’s favourite colour and the colour she associated with him. Bellamy owned a lot of red items – shirts, sneakers, ties, furniture, mugs. She bet he even wore red boxers and she unconsciously licked her lips when the image of a half-naked Bellamy flashed before her eyes.

Clarke put on some mascara, painted her lips a red very similar to her blazer and said goodbye to Franky, before she headed out.

Bellamy was already waiting with a coffee for her when she arrived at the local “Stars & Bucks”. When his walnut brown eyes landed on her, they seemed to light up as he gave her a handsome smile.

‘Thank you’ Clarke said in greeting when she sat down and accepted the mug of steaming coffee that he’d gotten her.

‘Nice blazer’ Bellamy commented. ‘My favourite colour’ he added in a softer tone and Clarke couldn’t  stop her lips from smiling. _I know._

Bellamy told Clarke about his week and asked her about hers. ‘Can I ask you something?’ Clarke blurted out instead of telling him about Franky’s new diet.   

He gave her a funny look and Clarke noticed Bellamy’s hands tighten around his coffee. ‘Of course..’

‘Do you believe that-‘ Clarke took a second to gather the right words and Bellamy seemed to watch her every move. ‘that dreams can have a certain.. _meaning_? That your subconsciousness is trying to tell you something? Or is that just bullshit and do we only get dreams to stay asleep?’

‘Yes’ Bellamy’s gaze was so intense, that Clarke could feel goosebumps break out over her arms. He kept staring at her and Clarke forgot to breathe for a minute.

‘Yes to what?’ Clarke finally asked and Bellamy let out a nervous chuckle.

‘I do believe dreams can mean something. I mean, dreams are mostly bullshit because your brain is processing what happened that day, but sometimes it can help you realize stuff. Your goals, fears, desires.. Or sometimes it’s symbolic for something. Like when you dream that you’re being chased – it means that you feel threatened by something in your life. Or when you dream about planes, that can mean you’re headed somewhere new in life. Or that you just want to travel’ Bellamy’s eyes never left hers and Clarke could see that he was trying to read her. _He wants to know what I dreamed._ ‘I read that somewhere’ he added after a moment.

Clarke laughed. ‘God, of course you did. You’re such a nerd’ _How do I like you so much?_ ‘How do you have any friends?’

Bellamy chuckled and his cheeks got a rosy tint. _Adorable_. ‘Must be my looks’

‘Well it definitely isn’t your personality’ Clarke joked and Bellamy laughed.

‘Seriously though’ he started and she already knew what was going to follow, ‘what did you dream that makes you want to know about meanings and such?’

Bellamy’s question made her think about the dream again and how it had felt to be in his arms. The same warm fuzzy feeling she had when he kissed her cheek came back and she could feel her cheeks burn up. Clarke brought her coffee to her lips and when she’d taken a sip, she kept the mug inches from her mouth, as to create some sort of shield.

‘Something about a co-worker, nothing special’ she lied.

Bellamy hummed something unintelligible in understanding and stared into his mug. The air between them suddenly turned tense and awkward. Clarke couldn’t remember it ever feeling like this with him. It was unnatural.

‘Have you ever had a dream with a hidden meaning?’ Clarke asked in a light tone in the hope the weirdness would go away.

‘Not about my co-worker’ Bellamy laughed. The sound relaxed Clarke and she started telling him about the diet the vet made Franky take. Bellamy rambled on and on about how ridiculous it was to put your pet on a diet and what a waste of money it was. Clarke rolled her eyes at him, but her lips were curled into a fond smile.

When they said goodbye, Bellamy reminded Clarke that he had a date with Echo (the hot brunette he met in the club. It would be their third date) and asked her to keep her cell at hand if he needed his beard to come help him get out.

Her heart hurt for a second when he called her his beard, but she smiled through it and promised she would.

 

*** * ***

 

Clarke did everything in her power to distract herself from thinking about Bellamy and Echo. She went grocery shopping, made some lasagne while she sang along with the radio and read a little, effectively avoiding the issue of _why_ it bothered her so much.

Clarke had put away her book in favour of sketching a napping Franky when her cell lit up with an incoming text.

 **Bellamy:** _911 (7:43pm)_

_That bad? (7:43pm)_

**Bellamy:** _Yes, for the love of everything holy. She’s at the restroom now, call in 5 pls!!!_ _(7:44pm)_

_Want to get ice cream at the pier? (7:44pm)_

**Bellamy:** _Yes (7:44pm)_

 

*** * ***

‘So, tell me. Why did you need your favourite saviour?’ Clarke asked Bellamy half an hour later when they were walking down the pier with ice cones in their hands.

Bellamy let out a groan. ‘Well, first off – she arrived drunk’

‘Are you serious?’ Clarke asked shocked. ‘God..’

‘Yup. Then she kept being rude to the staff, which was embarrassing, and we had nothing to talk about. She kept telling me about the best places to get a piercing and when I asked her what her favourite book was, she told me that the written word was dead’

‘No!’ Clarke yelled offended.

‘Yeah..’ he sighed and when Clarke looked over at him he seemed genuinely disappointed and upset. She really felt for him, he must’ve liked Echo enough to have hope that they could’ve become something more...

‘Talking about favourite books, I have a new one’ she started and she began telling him about “The House of the Mosque” and how he had to read it. When she was done telling about the book she was currently reading, they had finished their ice cream and had reached the railing. They enjoyed their view of the ocean and Bellamy pointed out a pair of seagulls.

_Almost like my dream._

To outsiders it may have looked like the two of them were on a date. Bellamy dressed in a nice shirt (his date shirt, she knew) and Clarke in a pretty mint green jumpsuit, while they were on a romantic stroll with the ocean side as their scenery. She never minded if people made the assumption, but it was the first time she _hoped_ people would.

 

* * *

 

 

 _This time they were in her kitchen making cupcakes. Well,_ trying _to. After the cupcake mix magically appeared in front of them, they decided to have a taste. That turned into a food fight where the batter flew through the air and landed on the other’s face._

_Clarke was laughing when Bellamy decided to close the distance between them and he softly stroked her cheek. Her laughter died on her lips and she leaned into his touch. Bellamy kissed some of the batter off her cheek, nose and forehead._

_‘Kiss me’ she begged._

_‘Say it first. Admit it’ Bellamy said in a husky voice. ‘What’s your darkest desire?’_

_‘You already know’ Clarke whined, she just wanted to feel his lips against hers._

_‘But you don’t’ Bellamy countered._

_‘It’s you’ Clarke admitted. ‘I love you’_

 

That’s what woke her again, just like last time. But unlike last time, she wasn’t in a panic, she felt sad. Lonely. She woke up in a cold, empty bed and she hated it.

But it was the feeling of missing Bellamy so intensely that almost broke her.

 

* * *

 

 

‘What do you think of her?’ Raven asked when she planted a new jack and coke in front of Clarke.

Clarke nodded in thanks before downing half her drink. The burn in her throat felt heavenly.. ‘She’s really cute. Seems awesome too’

Their new conservation subject was Raven’s new friend Gina Martin, the cute bartender who was currently flirting with Bellamy. Clarke took another gulp.

‘Right?’ Raven agreed cheerily. ‘She’s getting her PhD in Philosophy, is a vegetarian and she’s actually cool, not some weirdo. We met at the gym and when she said she worked here, I figured we could hang here sometimes. Not a horrible place, right?’

‘Nope. She still single?’ Clarke joked and something in Raven’s eyes hardened as she raised an eyebrow at Clarke. Clarke broke their eye contact, because she could _feel_ Raven reading her inner thoughts like an open book again. She hated it.

‘Not for long, I imagine’ Raven said before getting up to leave. Raven’s comment made Clarke’s eyes travel back to Bellamy. Still sitting at the bar, laughing over something Gina must’ve said. _No, Gina probably won’t be single for long.. Neither will Bellamy.._

Just like when he had been kissing Echo in the club, Clarke’s stomach felt like lead and breathing got more difficult. Now she wasn’t going to deny knowing the reason – it was because she was in love with him.

She loved Bellamy and it hurt like an open wound.

 

* * *

 

 

But nothing seemed to happen between Bellamy and Gina. At least, not that Clarke knew of. He hadn’t mentioned anything in the couple of times she’d seen him after that night when they were with their friends, not even when it was just the two of them getting coffee on Saturdays.

All she knew was that when she was with Bellamy, she was happier, she felt complete. The tiny stubborn voice that had said he could be her exception, grew stronger and louder.

She wanted to tell him, she _needed_ to tell him.

But something came up with Bellamy the Saturday Clarke had planned to spill her heart out, so he had to cancel. The next time she saw him was on Sunday at the gang’s monthly movie night at his and O's place.

Bellamy had saved her a seat next to him on his couch – a red one, of course – and she rested her head on his chest while he put an arm around her. Monty send her an all too knowing smile and she stuck her tongue out at him before going back to ignoring everything around her, except for the way Bellamy felt against her. Bellamy absently stroked her arm with his thumb and it made her shiver. He noticed and asked if she was cold.

‘A little’ Clarke whispered and he pulled her in even closer. His distinct musky scent seemed to surround her and her heartbeat quickened. They fit together like two pieces in a puzzle and Clarke wanted to kick herself for not noticing sooner.

They remained like that for the rest of the movie until Bellamy got a text and he shifted to get his cell out of his pocket. Clarke didn’t mean to read it, but he put his cell in her line of vision and she was just too curious not to.

 **Gina:** _How about going to that place Grounders for a date? It has live music and we’d be able to get a drink. (9:37pm)_

Bellamy’s thumb swiftly moved over the screen while he typed a reply.

_Good pick. (9:37pm)_

Everything seemed to stop. The world. Time. Her heart. An ice-cold feeling settled in her soul and replaced it. Clarke knew how it was to get her heart broken, but for the first time in her life, it mercilessly got ripped out of her chest. She stood up with the words that she was getting a drink and she barely heard Jasper’s request for a beer.

In the kitchen she gave herself a mental pep talk and blinked away the tears that had already started to form in her eyes. She was not going to cry, _dammit_! She was going back to the living room, watch the ending of the stupid movie she’d barely paid attention to and then go back to Franky’s loving paws, as soon as possible.

 

* * *

 

 

Monday Clarke had to work, which proved to be a very effective distraction from her heartbreak until she got home, where she spend the remaining part of the day crying, drinking wine, eating ice cream, watching costume dramas and playing with Franky. It was all very comforting and therapeutic and Clarke looked forward to doing only that for the rest of her natural born life.

Wednesday Clarke spiced things up by inviting Niylah over to her bed and when they were both satisfied, they re-watched some “Parks and Rec”. It was nice. Clarke still felt miserable, but Niylah made some of the lonely go away.

Thursday Octavia and Clarke went out for lunch. The two of them had met through Bellamy and Clarke quickly found out she was everything Bellamy wasn’t. Where Bellamy was rational, his sister was a dreamer. Where Octavia had a bubbly personality, her brother was more an old grump by nature. Where Bellamy was book smart, Octavia was more street smart.

But there were similarities between the two siblings as well. Qualities that made them both the most amazing friends to have. They were loyal to their loved ones, loved them with everything they had and always had your back.

So after meeting Octavia, Clarke quickly had a new awesome friend.

‘So, how’ve you been?’ Octavia asked when they’d ordered two iced teas.

‘You saw me like four days ago’ Clarke pointed out amused and Octavia rolled her eyes. ‘I’ve been fine’ Clarke lied with a convincing smile (a skill she’d learned after growing up with politicians for parents) and she returned the question. Octavia told her about the photography classes she was taking and they agreed they should go to the beach sometime soon so Clarke could sketch and Octavia could use her fancy camera again.

‘Have you ever thought about dating again?’ Octavia asked out of the blue when their food had arrived.

‘What?’ Clarke asked surprised. She hadn’t seen that one coming. ‘Where’s this coming from?’

Octavia shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Nowhere, honestly, it’s just a thought. I mean, you’re such a babe and you’re awesome. Why would you let the world hold out on you?’

Clarke laughed. ‘You know why I don’t bother dating. I just don’t see the point after Finn and Lexa. Even my parents crashed and burned. I did too, and it sucked’

‘Yeah, but your parents are both happy now with someone else and Finn and Lexa are both jerks’ Octavia countered.

‘True’ Clarke agreed and she took a sip of her iced tea.

‘So you shouldn’t use your asshole exes as an example for the rest of the world’ Octavia said, surprisingly wise and serious.

‘Is this going somewhere?’ Clarke asked with an amused smile, one that Octavia didn’t return. _Okay.._

‘Isn’t there someone you like enough to change your mind?’ Octavia’s beautiful green eyes bored into her blue ones.

‘No’ Clarke lied.

‘So there’s no one special?’ Octavia pressed. She seemed relentless.

‘No one except for Niylah’ Clarke never broke eye contact with Octavia – she knew it was a tell. ‘But maybe you’re right and I should try again. With Niylah, she’s amazing. What do you think?’

Octavia eyed her for a second. ‘If it makes you happy’ she grabbed a curly fry from her plate and stuffed it in her mouth.

Clarke smiled at her friend after swallowing a bite of her burger. ‘Well thanks for the advice. And the compliments’ she added with a wink. ‘You sure you don’t want to get it on?’

Octavia chuckled joyfully, her serious mood replaced by a cheerful one again. ‘I’m afraid I’m painfully straight, but in another universe, I’d marry you in a heartbeat babe’

 

* * *

 

 

‘Didn’t you have plans with your friends tonight?’ Niylah asked the next day while they were eating some takeout on Clarke’s couch. Franky was sitting on the floor, watching their every move, hoping for a taste of the Thai food her owner was having. Niylah kept sending the begging cat pitying looks and Clarke kept reminding Niylah _that Franky was in no circumstance allowed to have some of their food!_

‘You’re a friend too’ Clarke reminded Niylah with a smile.

‘Fine, your _gang_ ’ Niylah chuckled.

‘I may have cancelled’ Clarke admitted, eyes on her food. Her gang was having drinks at Gina’s bar that night, but Clarke wasn’t up for watching Bellamy flirt with the cute bartender. Or act as his beard. She even cancelled the weekly coffee with Bellamy, afraid that he’d tell her about the girl(s) he surely would enjoy later that night.

‘Because of Bellamy?’ Niylah asked. Clarke gave her a look, confused and surprised that she knew. ‘You said his name in your sleep with some other things and you seemed really down the last couple of days. I put two and two together’ Niylah explained. Clarke saw that Niylah wasn’t angry or upset or judging, just genuinely worried about her, so Clarke decided to be honest.

‘Yeah, because of Bellamy..’ she whispered.

‘Do you wanna talk about it?’ Niylah offered.

Clarke shrugged. ‘Not really. I just want to eat my feelings away’ she ignored Franky’s whining as she tried to drown her heart with some wine and Tom Yam Goong.

‘Something else I can do?’ Niylah asked.

‘Distract me?’ Clarke asked in a hopeful tone.

‘Remember that art show I told you about? Those local artists that are influenced by impressionism? We can go there tomorrow, if you’d like?’

Clarke smiled gratefully at her friend. ‘Sounds great’

 

* * *

 

 

‘Clarke?’

Her heart began to beat loudly, her movements stopped and she momentarily forgot where she was and what she doing. Even her fingers started to tremble. _All of that because he says your name._ She slowly turned around, already a smile gracing her features (one that didn’t reach her eyes, but she didn’t care enough to try harder).

‘Bellamy, hi’ she said, when her eyes found his.

‘How’ve you been?’ Bellamy asked and added in a somewhat accusing tone, ‘I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever’

‘I saw you last week’ Clarke tried.

‘No, you cancelled last week. And the week before that’ he said with a glare.

‘I’m sorry, I’ve been busy’ she’d spend a lot of free time with Niylah lately. They went to the gym together, to the pier, to the gallery again and now they were even grocery shopping together. Clarke faintly touched Niylah’s shoulder. ‘You remember Niylah, Bellamy?’

Bellamy’s eyes flickered to Niylah and his lips turned into a frown, but he greeted her politely and Niylah gave him a kind smile in return.

‘You’re coming tonight, right?’ Bellamy asked and she knew he would throw a fit if she said she wasn’t, so she nodded in response. ‘Good ‘cause everyone misses you and Gina wants to meet you’

_Great.._

‘Of course’ she promised smiling and they said their goodbyes.  

 

*** * ***

 

Niylah was going on a date that evening, so Clarke had to officially meet Bellamy’s new girlfriend on her own. It was a fact she was most upset about, but she realised she’d been very selfish lately and a terrible friend, so she sucked it up, put on a cute dress and made her way over to the bar where her friends were probably already celebrating the beginning of the weekend.

But when she arrived, it weren’t Bellamy’s lips Gina was kissing, but Raven’s.

Clarke was so shocked, that she promptly walked into someone’s chest. She looked up and started apologising to the stranger, but the redheaded girl didn’t want to hear it.

‘No, need to apologise doll face’ the girl slurred. ‘A pretty lil’ thing like yourself can crash into me anytime and in any position she wants’ the redhead laughed and Clarke refrained herself from rolling her eyes at her. ‘Let me buy you a drink’

‘Nope, I’m fine’ Clarke’s eyes travelled through the crowd until she found the warm walnut brown ones she’d been looking for.

‘Come on, don’t be a killjoy’ the girl put a sweaty palm on Clarke’s arm and tried to drag her to the bar. She quickly touched her ear and to her relief, Bellamy jumped up immediately and made his way over to her.

‘Bellamy’ she smiled when he got to her.

‘Clarke-‘

Clarke was just so happy to see him again and so relieved that he wasn’t with Gina, that she let her heart make the impulsive decision to kiss him full on his mouth. Clarke could feel Bellamy stiffen against her and when he didn’t respond to her kiss after a moment, she retreated her lips. When she opened her eyes, she found that Bellamy had never closed his.

The wrecked look he gave her, made her heart ache. He stared at her for a moment, a million thoughts swimming in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry Clarke, but I can’t do this anymore’ Before she could blink twice or ask him what he meant, he was gone.

Clarke just stood there, as still as a sculpture, too confused and shocked to move.

Raven suddenly appeared in front of her, taking up the space Bellamy had, just a moment ago. ‘Go after him’ she ordered.

A million thoughts ran through her mind, so Clarke blurted out the first thing that made sense. ‘He’s not dating Gina’

Raven looked at her for a second and when it was clear to her that Clarke wasn’t messing around, she burst out in laughter. ‘Jesus, no, that girl is mine and mine only. Why did you-‘ she shook her head. ‘Doesn’t matter. Go after that dumbass and tell him that you love him. He’s been waiting long enough’ she literally pushed Clarke out of the bar and Clarke took a moment in the warm summer night to process what just happened.

Gina kissed Raven, she’d kissed Bellamy, he had called her Clarke (for the second time that day) and Raven said Bellamy had been waiting for her.

Her feet were already making their way over to Bellamy and Octavia’s apartment and before she knew it, she was standing in front of his door. Clarke used the spare key Bellamy had given her to let herself in and took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She found his shoes under the Blake’s coat rack and his keys on their table, so she knew he’d arrived safely.

She found Bellamy himself already asleep in his bed, so she got some aspirin and a bottle of water out of his kitchen and put it on his nightstand (he would probably need it in the morning), before she laid down next to him on his bed. Clarke listened to Bellamy’s steady breathing and the rhythmic sound made her fall into a peaceful slumber.

 

**-*-**

 

Clarke woke up before Bellamy did, so she carefully got out of bed and went to the kitchen to make the two of them some breakfast. Clarke knew after years of friendship with nights out and morning after’s that Bellamy favoured pancakes as hangover food, joined with lots of cups of coffee, so she baked away as she heard him get up and take a shower.

When he finally showed up, she’d finished her breakfast and his had already started to cool down. Clarke handed Bellamy a plate with a couple of pancakes and he took them without a word and started digging in.

Clarke drank some coffee as she patiently waited for Bellamy to regain some strength, but her patience wore thin. She wanted to tell him how she felt. She had waited long enough and Bellamy, the poor bastard, had waited even longer – if Raven was still halfway reliable.

Clarke had already opened her mouth to speak, but Bellamy beat her to it. ‘I can’t do it anymore, Clarke’ he began softly. ‘Maybe it’s selfish, but I can’t be your excuse any longer. I hate to watch you flirt with other people and then come to your rescue with fake sweet talk and kisses’ he kept his eyes on the pancakes he was now playing with. ‘I can’t pretend any longer that I’m your boyfriend when it’s convenient and pretend I don’t want to be your boyfriend the rest of the time, when it’s all I want..’ Bellamy let out a humourless chuckle that made her want to cry. ‘It’s exhausting, Clarke..’ he sighed. ‘I’m so tired..’

His normally deep and melodic voice was now broken and hoarse and it had cracked at the end. It didn’t sound like Bellamy at all, but as someone who had only known pain in his life. _And that’s your fault._

‘I’m _so_ sorry, Bellamy’ she whispered and he shook his head.

‘It’s not your fault you don’t feel the same’ he said, misunderstanding her.

‘No, I meant that I’m sorry I caused you so much pain and–’

Bellamy shrugged. ‘It wasn’t intentional. Again, it’s not your fault’ he said with a weak smile.

Clarke felt like laughing and crying. Laughing because he was just as oblivious to her feelings as she had been to his – and to her own for that matter – and crying because he kept assuming she didn’t love him and didn’t give her a chance to tell him that she did.

‘I’ll always want to be your friend, but please don’t ask me to be your beard any longer’ he drank some of his coffee to avoid her gaze.

‘I’m not going to’ Clarke started and Bellamy kept his eyes on the red mug in his hands. ‘I too, don’t want to be your beard any longer. It’s just– It really sucks to see you with other girls and then to give you a fake kiss.. But it’s even worse when you hit it off with them’ Bellamy looked up at this and his eyes widened in shock.

He seemed to be afraid to talk or move, because he just kept staring at Clarke. Completely motionless and silent, so Clarke finally got the perfect opportunity to say it.

‘I’m in love with you too’

Bellamy let out a shuddering sigh. ‘Thank God..’ he looked at her for a second before he started laughing and Clarke joined him. The tension seemed to leave Bellamy and it got replaced by relief and joy.

‘Did you enjoy your pancakes?’ Clarke asked, grinning like a fool, and Bellamy laughed again.

‘Well they’re definitely not as horrible as your waffles, Princess’ Bellamy said with a wink and Clarke send him a mock glare.

‘Good, because I feel like this wasn’t the last time I’ll make you breakfast. Maybe next time we can even have breakfast in bed’ her lips turned into an alluring smile.

Bellamy abruptly stood up and walked over to her. Clarke noticed that his eyes had darkened significantly. ‘Well, we already had the breakfast part, so how about we do the bed part now?’ He was standing in front her, waiting for her answer. Eagerness and apprehension both swam in his brown orbs.

Clarke gave him a smile as she stood up as well. ‘What a great idea, _Belly_ ’ she put her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist.

‘Shut up’ he said, but there was no heat in his voice, only fondness.

‘Make me’ she challenged, and he did. Bellamy kissed away any remaining doubt that Clarke had and to let him know, she eagerly kissed him back. Her heart grew ten sizes as his tongue stroked hers and his hands wandered over her body. 

In the months and years that followed, Bellamy proved to Clarke that the tiny stubborn voice inside of her had been right all along.

He was indeed her exception.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Let's be friends on [tumblr!](http://fieldsofpoppyflowers.tumblr.com/) :)
> 
> I hope you'll let me know if you enjoyed, it always makes my day! :) xx


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